Carrie Underwood Goes Home

Carrie Underwood wins Female Vocalist of the Year at "The 41st Annual CMA Awards," on Wednesday, Nov. 7, live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on the ABC Television Network.

Oct. 28, 2008 — Carrie Underwood plays Wednesday at the new BOK Center in Tulsa, making her one of the first country artists to perform at the arena, which just opened in September.

It also returns Carrie to her homestate. Tulsa is just 65 miles from Carrie’s hometown, Checotah, and while stardom has allowed her to travel across the U.S. and to other countries, she still gets a thrill over being back in the Sooner State.

"I get very excited when I see road signs that I recognize," she told The Muskogee Phoenix. "When I was in Tahlequah recently, I remember being on the bus and just waking up. I peeked through the blinds on the windows and saw a gas station I knew. I had never been so excited."

Carrie’s life in Nashville is a little different than the one she knew growing up. Now that she’s a star, every guy she talks to on a personal basis ends up becoming a point of romantic speculation in the tabloids, so she’s pretty much abandoned having male friends. But it’s just an issue with men.

"Honestly, I don’t have too many friends," she said. "That pile kinda shrinks. I still have my sorority sister who is still my best friend."

In fact, Carrie — who’s on the Carnival Ride Tour with opening act Little Big Town — suggests she’s gotten kind of boring.

"They call us the milk and cookies tour," she said. "We don’t go to parties. We don’t do anything but perform and then bed."

Nevertheless, Carrie’s got a pretty glamorous gig set for Nashville next month. She’ll co-host "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" with Brad Paisley Nov. 12 from the Sommet Center.